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Hey guys, if even 1 person reads this, it will be worth my time. 10 months post tane, and while my skin has remained RELATIVELY clear, not 100%, but better.. i have OTHER PROBLEMS POST ACCUTANE. -Rosacea Facial flushing -Seb derm -Angular Cheilitis -Chapped lips still -Sensitive skin So there ya go, 22 years old and i now have chronic skin conditions which might last me the rest of my life. FUCK ACCUTANE. Listen and listen closely, THIS SHIT IS POISON. I was 100% healthy before tane, i guarantee you the risk isnt worth it. "ohh but it wont happen to me" .. yeah, thats what i said when i was stupid and naive. Just know theres a big chance it CAN happen to you. Particularly if you're young, and by young i mean if you're not over the age of 26, THEN DONT TAKE THIS SHIT. Because there's a good chance your acne will burn itself out naturally. Just aint worth it..

Ok, 6 months post tane.. and been using prescribed differin cream on and off Positives: Of course- skin = relatively clear, cant complain, 1 or 2 here and there, its fine. Negatives: Lips still dry, using chapstick 3-4 times a day, or after eating is when at its worst. Found a good chapstick to combat this luckily. Still an inconvinience. - Sensitive skin leading to blushing/flushing episodes. Cant drink alcohol, cant take hot showers, feeling an emotion e.g angry, nervous, embarrassed will make me flush, exercising = flushing. All of which will cause temporary redness, sometimes for up to an hour. So yeah, dont know if these side effects will be permanent, or hopefully fade within the next year. I tell you one thing, im pretty much done with all acne medications though, even if it means a few pimples. It just isnt worth the risk for what could be - permanent side effects. Which are now causing me problems in social situations. So just a friendly warning to anyone thinking of taking Tane, i had no problems like this before it, and just like you're thinking now, i thought EVERYTHING would go back to normal. But you just never know, it reacts differently to everyone. Im not saying dont take it if you're life is absolutely miserable like mine was, im just saying, please think hard!

So ive been off tane 4.5 months now.. as far as my skin goes im relatively happy, i get the odd pimple here and there, but its nothing like before, its fine, i can deal you know.. but i wanted to let anyone know that some side effects may NOT go away .. 4.5 months later i still have chapped lips, more so on the corners and edges of my lips.. This gets very red AND painful unless frequently moisturised, and to be honest i havent found a chapstick that is satisfactory to make my lips normal. After eating, my outer lips are burning. So let me tell you, i thought i wouldnt get any on going side effects, but this has proven to be a real problem .. i thought it was going to go away after the course so i took my chances.. now nearly 5 months after im still having to deal with a side effect which is very uncomfortabe. Just really ask yourself if its worth taking that chance, cos right now i just dont know if it was worth taking that chance anymore..

5 weeks post accutane ive had around 4 pimples since stopping tane, generally ive been clear. its been great. little worried about my lips, still a little dry. not like before, but noticeable, still using chapstick.. the edges of my mouth is the worst, still gets red sometimes :S .. im hoping this will go away in the next few months or i dont know what im going to do. All other side effects have disapeared though.

So ive been off accutane for 1 week now, and been using my prescribed differin cream every second night. My skin is still clear, and my lips are now back to 80% normal.. loving it. Corners of my mouth are returning to normal colour (thank god! lol) I cant believe its over.. it felt so long when i was on it, but looking back 4.5 months flew.. time really does get away from you. I feel sad when i think back of all the good times ive missed out on these last 2 years .. so many places, birthdays, occassions i didnt go to because of my skin. Even last christmas over my cousins i didnt go to - bahh bad times. And now i really think its over. I have a beautiful new girlfriend, i feel comfortable with how i look, and i can go out and enjoy life again.. Anyone thinking whether to use accutane or not, read up on it, know your info and what you're getting yourself into. the last 4.5 months were tough! .. physically, mentally, and emotionally. But if your acne really bothers you to the extent its taking over your life and all other options are exhausted, dont hesitate to do something about it.

I think ive just taken my last accutane hopefully FOREVER!! .. been on it nearly 4.5 months, the hardest 4.5 months of my life, im not gonna lie! and seeing my derm tomorrow.. where ive been basically clear for 5 weeks now, i think hes going to take me off it. I must admit, im worried about comming off it, because my skin is good right now.. but my lips look like crap! edges are red/sore .. i do really need to be off it.. I pray to god i stay clear, if not forever, for even 6-12 months it will be worth it.. i just dont want to be back to square one, i want to live my life.. missed out on too much already. So seeing the derm tomorrow, VERY EXCITED, as i think im finished. and the side effects should all go away in the next week or so.. So fuck yeah, IVE BEATEN ACNE.. it took fricken accutane to do it, but i got there .. whether i stay clear now is really the question.. if i do, then to answer anyones question, YES, accutane IS worth taking.

heyy, quick accutane update. day 130. Clear skin, has been for 4 weeks or so now. Side effect of sore red edges of mouth has limited how much ive been able to take this last 3-4 weeks, but hopefully ive done enough to stay clear. seeing my derm on wednesday, and he said if im still clear (which i am) .. then he'd more than likely take me off it. Cant wait to be off it, hell excited. Over taking it, want to feel normal again haha, but if i still stay clear after my course has ended it will DEFINATELY have been worth it. We'll see if i stay clear after my course or not. Thats really the big question.

Alright, so ill start with the good news.. pretty sure im only 2 weeks off finishing my course! .. ive been pretty much clear for 4 weeks now, very happy about that. Derm said if i was still clear when i see him next, he would more than likely take me off. Bad news is i havent been taking it properly this last week or so, i even had a 3 days break off it.. i really didnt want to do that, i wanted to finish the course properly, but the side effect of the edges of my mouth is too much. Its literally burning through the skin, ive tried moisturizing, cortisone creams, called my derm twice about it.. there's nothing i can do. Its been the worst side effect ive had throughout my whole course, now comming to the end of it im really struggling to stay on top of it. I guess im hoping ive done enough to stay clear, i took proper dose for over 3.5 months .. until i had to lower my dose a bit.. So yeah, 14 days to go .. got to admit im pretty excited.. hope to god i stay clear though, ill take as much of this accutane as my body will let me for this last 2 weeks and hopefully it will all be ok.

Day 109.. nothing much to report.. have stayed pretty much clear for about 2 weeks now.. Edges of lips are red, sore.. as usual. not enjoying that at all. but i know i get to be off this stuff in about 25 days.. so im hanging in there.. Ive been bad with the doses taking 20's and 40's last few days.. want to get rid of this lip redness. Tonight ill go back up to my proper dose of 60.. ive gotta try stay on it for these last 25 days.. FRICKEN CANT WAIT TO BE OFF IT! hahaha

Into triple figures.. been taking 60mg now for 2 weeks straight.. right now my skin is more or less clear, thats the good part. The bad part is the skin around my mouth is becomming red and sore again, moisturizing isnt enough .. and i also have another rash which appeared on my neck which ive recently just been able to get rid of, aside for 2 pimple like marks left from the rash. (not pimples, definately from rash) Tonight unfortunately im going to take 40mg.. when i should be on 60. the redness around my mouth is getting worse, and i want this rash completely gone. Been nearly a week now. Hopefully ill stay clear taking the 40, and be able to minimise side effects, and go back to 60. Seeing my derm on December 8, where if im still clear, he said he'd probably take me off it.. cant wait. literally counting the days now lol .. 4-5 weeks seems soon when you've been on this stuff for so long

Hey guys, 3 months complete today!! .. makes it day 93 I have some good news! .. Saw my derm today, he was happy with my progress.. im basically clear at the moment, aside 1 or 2 very small pimples .. barely noticeable. He said if i stay clear for another 6 weeks, hes going to take me off this stuff. Im still sitting at 60mg. except i was very up and down with my dosage in the month just gone, some days id take 60, but due to side effects id find myself taking 40's on other days. But this month, i want no excuses, i want all 60mg, everday. And hopefully in 6 weeks i can be clear 100% and come off this stuff In other news ive started dating this girl, cute too, shes awesome and knows my situation with accutane. kissing her really does suck though, not gonna lie, ive been limiting it haha cant wait to get off this stuff. Edges of my lips ive been moisturizing like literally 6 times a day, they get sore very easily, lip balm im using atleast 20 times a day. Sore lower back, making it worse by hitting the gym. small price to pay for whats going to be the end result. Hopefully this isnt just another good period my skin is going through and i wont break out again .. hopefully this is it for real this time, and the accutane is really kicking in .. BRING ON THE NEXT 6 WEEKS!! =D

Day 85.. tried going back up to 60mg, bad idea, got a neck rash come up Neck rash with red slightly inflamed itchy spots.. very similar to mosquitoe bites. VERY annoying. Called my derm, he said to moisturise it, and if no improvement call him in a few days. Been moisturizing like crazy past 2 days, if still no improvement by tomorrow im going to call him and get some kind of cream for it. As far as my skin goes my chin has broke out.. like 4 pimples.. not good. generally the rest of my face is clear though, so i really dont know what the hell is going on. Main priority is to get rid of this rash though. you get over one problem, just so another can come up HAHA. accutane ay. Oh well whatever, i can deal with it.. nearly finished my 3rd month this time next week, if by the end of my 4th month i havent cleared, i think ill start to worry.. lets hope it doesnt get to that and just keeeep on pushin' along

Alright day 78, things have gotten better . As far as the redness around my mouth goes (if you read last blog entry) , ive realised how to control it. I started moisturizing that area like crazy, like 5-6 times a day, and it seems to have calm down a lot, almost to normal pretty much. So after trying a prescription cream and aloe vera to no prevail, the moisturizer pretty much saved me (where was my derm on that one lol). Thank god for that cause i wasnt sure i was gonna make the next 2.5 months looking like that. Skins not bad, 3 small pimples just came up today actually. like, i said, small.. not huge inflamed ones like i used to get. Gonna push it back up to 60mg and see how it goes with the redness around my lips (im supposed to be on 60, but been taking 40 due to that) .. so yeah, hoping it doesnt bring back the redness, provided i keep moisturizing the area a lot. Even if i could just do one day 60 - the next 40 - and so on id be happy. We'll see what happens, but i feel like ive got myself back on the right track >=D

Day 74. meh. hating life.. Skin is pretty average, been worse, been better. Have come to the realisation that i cant be on 60mg without this ugly redness which appears around my mouth, so now i have to stay on 40mg or it just keeps comming up. Creams arent helping. Right now a ring of red irritated skin circles my lips. people have been staring, makes me feel heaps good hey. All i can do is hope 40mg is enough to clear me completely, even though ideally i should be on 60mg. massive drawback.. but with 2.5 months of the course left i cant deal with it for that long. Hopefully next post i can say something postive, its been a rough few weeks.

So here i am.. once again broken out with like 8-10 pimples, just when i thought things were getting better.. but this time my lips, and all around my lips are noticeably red, not to mention sore. Called my derm, and he said to go back down from 60mg to 40mg. I really wouldnt of minded staying at 60mg and having these breakouts, but my lips seriously look aweful.. Its one thing to catch someone glancing because you have acne, but its another for them to be staring at something abnormal like a sore red ring of skin around your mouth. Talk about feeling insecure hey. Have barely looked anyone in the eye this whole week. To get a glimpse of what having good skin was like a month ago was the best thing ever, but now i just feel like im back at square one and i have no idea why. Im truely scared of going back to how things were, i thought i was getting through this and it was improving. Why would your skin improve to nearly being completely clear.. then a month later have 8 nasty red pimples on your face? i really dont understand it. First thing is first, i need to get my lips back to normal condition. hopefully going back to 40mg will do that. But for now, i wont be going far this weekend, lets just say that much.

So 2 months exactly .. things going pretty avg. Saw my derm today and hes upped me to 60mg to kick off my 3rd month. My lips look like crap! .. split in both corners, very sore.. and what seem like sores or lip blisters have been appearing. Never had them before in my life. I think the dryness is really starting to take its toll on my lips. Things were going ok on 40mg, but just recently got a few new pimples out of no where. so clearly its not over yet.. so ive been upped to 60mg. I really didnt want to go any higher than 40mg.. but ive come this far, i dont want to back down now. And i know in about 3 months or so it should all be over. I cant fricken wait!!

So just when you think things are going well, it all turns upside down on you. Its almost like i jinxed myself with my last post. Last few days havent been the best. 3-4 new pimples, and lips are incredibly dry! Lip balm every half hour, literally. Also noticing what seem like sores around my mouth? quite small, yet noticeable, red and slightly inflamed marks around my lips. They seem like cold sores? but maybe not, but definately different to pimples. Its easy to blame the accutane, but id never had them before in my life. ever. And my lips are very dry. Not sure if its a reaction to constantly chapped lips or not, but its fricken annoying because they look like pimples! .. just cant win hey. Seeing my derm in a few days, which is good timing. I need to ask him about it, see what he saids. Possibly be upped to 60mg, not sure. Also had my first blood test this week - needles just add to the fun of accutane HAHA

So its day 53, maybe 54.. ive been losing track of time. its the best way to go about it, forget your even on the stuff and take one day at a time. A quick update, at the moment, im loving accutane. best decision ive made in over 2 years since i started getting acne. 2-3 actives maybe?? not big or inflamed either as opposed to what i used to get. Still on 40mg. lips are dry as. heaps of lip balm every hour or 2. minor back pain, nothing serious at all. kissing absolutely sucks though haha. moisturizing 1-2 times a day. All and all, things are going great at the moment. anyone wondering whether to use this drug, if your acne is effecting your life emotionally. then screw it. go see yourself a derm, and get some accutane. Ive been much happier since starting, and havent regretted it one bit. great part is i know its still going to get better aswell. Any comment/questions dont hesitate =)

Day 41.. wow.. time is flying. not that complaining lol Few more breakouts unfortunately, been on 40mg for 1 week now, could have something to do with it.. stronger dosage = medication working harder to unclog pores/bring up imperfections. probably whats happening. As far as side effects go i havent noticed too much change other than dryer lips.. really becomming chapped. So as usual, hoping it passes and heals quickly so i can muster up the confidence to see this girl ive just started seeing. sad thing is i wont see her unless my skin is decent. stupid hey! but, thats the mental and emotional drawbacks of acne i guess. Time will tell =) .. 3 weeks til i see my derm again.. maybe an upped dose again? who knows..

Just a quick little update to anyone who reads this .. im now on my 2nd day on 40mg. No noticeable changes yet, interested to see whether i will get another acne flare up or not (really hope i dont) .. so yeah, we'll see if i get any further side effects. If anyone has any experience/advice with there dosage being upped and what to expect, dont hesitate to comment =) thanks!

1 month down .. pretty good feeling when you know in the next 1-2 months you're going to clear up pretty much completely. Still on 20mg, gets upped in 3 days to 40mg. At the moment i have kinda 4 pimples, not big or inflamed though so im happy! Overall, my skin has improved since starting accutane, i think ive only picked like 3 pimples in the past 2 weeks the rest ive left and they've gone away, im so happy about that! .. cos it means i wont end up with ugly red marks (or atleast as many as usual) Side effects - dry lips, slight lower back pain - nothing bad, and dry skin - having to moisturize pretty much every night now. Never used to use it at all when my skin was oily but now its dried up its really been preventing flakey/dry skin. My parents were trying to talk me out of taking accutane, but so far, im so happy i did .. and to think its only going to get better (assuming it will lol) is a great thought.

Day 25 .. nothing new particularly.. still breaking out, not overly bad, just the usual big inflamed papules/pustules.. around 4 ishh. Its been way worse, so i shouldnt be complaining too much. Just annoying i know im going to have marks there for up to a month. Being upped to 40mg in just over 1 week, cant wait. See how you like me then acne lol side effects are the same, dry lips and slight lower back pain, slightly flaky skin in areas. so nothing bad.

So 3 weeks on tane.. doesnt feel that long ago i just started really. Things are going good! .. i have only like 3 active pimples at the moment.. its amazing what 3 weeks can do, from week 1 with about 12 actives to now week 3 with only about 3 actives. So right now, im happy. This week ive noticed my face definately becomming dryer, its great its not oily anymore, but its started flaking a little in some places, going to need to start applying moisturizer soon. Im scared to though as things are going well at the moment i dont want it to change. Other side effects - Dry lips, nothing chapstick cant take care of. Lower back pain - cant work out or exercise as intense or frequent. Thats pretty much my only complaint so far. Dry lips are nothing but im dieing to lift some weights! Have to wait it out.. I was expecting to be a mess right now with an IB. Im hoping im actually avoiding that. Although i know its possible its still yet to come. Could be kinda 'calm before the storm' thing going on right now. Who knows. Upped to 40mg in just under 2 weeks.

Day 18 - Things are alright, still no IB.. just my normal breakouts. So nothing worse, nothing better. One thing i do like is my skin has started to become less oily. Feels great to not feel like i need to wash my face every couple of hours or so - massive plus. Side effects are still dry lips and slight lower back pain. Cant wait to be upped to 40mg in a few weeks to speed things along a little.

So day 13, and things are going ok! .. probably the best my skin has looked since starting the treatment, which is suprising, i expected to have breakouts everywhere by this time. I still have red marks from breaking out last week, but they're slowly fading. I still dont think ive had an IB, which is what worries me, with my skin looking ok at the moment, a few weeks will roll around, my holidays will be over - have to go back to work - and BAM breakouts everywhere. With any luck that wont happen. Im still breaking out, but it hasnt been anything more or less than my usual breakouts around my mouth. I think my skin is slowly starting to become less oily - this is great! - still havent moisturized, havent needed to. Side effects: Lips becomming dryer/chapping, nothing unbearable vaseline or lip balm easily handles it, slight lower back pain becomming a tad more noticeable, still nothing bad, probably just need to stay out the gym while on the treatment. Cant wait to get my treatment upped so i can really put this acne to the knife. Going to be upped to 40mg when i see my derm in just less than 3 weeks. But so far, 20mg has been a breeze, almost like im not taking anything. But as long as it does its job, im happy. Going away for a few days up the coast, wont be back til the weekend, was planning to go hide up there thinking my skin was going to be bad but im going up with ok skin for now, we'll see what its like when i come back lol Any questions/comments fire away!

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